3,690 research outputs found
Differential effects of age on chicken heterophil functional activation by recombinant chicken interleukin-2
No full textInterleukin-2 (IL-2) exercises an array of biological effects on many cells including the functional activation of cells of the innate immune response. Heterophils, the avian equivalent of the neutrophil, function as professional phagocytes to aid in regulation of innate host defenses. The objective of the present studies was to examine the effects of recombinant chicken IL-2 (rChIL-2) on functional activities of heterophils from chickens during the first 3 weeks after hatch. Peripheral blood heterophils were isolated and incubated with either COS cell-derived rChIL-2 or supernatants from mock-transfected COS cells. rChIL-2 had no effect on the functional activities of heterophils from day-of-hatch chickens, but significantly increased the phagocytosis and bactericidal activity of heterophils from 7- and 14-day-old chickens. rChIL-2 induced no direct stimulation of the respiratory burst by heterophils, but primed heterophils from 7- and 14-day-old birds for an enhanced respiratory burst in response to phorbol ester stimulation. Lastly, rChIL-2 had neither direct nor priming effects on heterophil degranulation. The enhancing effects on heterophil functional activity by rChIL-2 were abated by a neutralizing anti-chicken IL-2 mAb and were therefore specific for this cytokine. These results show that rChIL-2 can directly activate chicken heterophils to exert effector functions, and that heterophil activation by rChIL-2 is also an age-dependent event
Entanglement and quantity in quantum space - About quantum measurement (II)
No full textAs a continuation and extension of "quantity in phase space" "quantity in quantum space" is introduced. With that, the disappearing of quantum interference discussed in a previous paper [S. Durr, et al., Nature 395 (1998) 33] is explained in the same spirit as our recent papers [Ren De-Ming, Commun. Theor. Phys. (Beijing, China) 41 (2004) 685, 833].Physics, MultidisciplinarySCI(E)中国科学引文数据库(CSCD)1ARTICLE133-364
Sneutrino DM in the NMSSM with inverse seesaw mechanism
No full textIn supersymmetric theories like the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM), the lightest neutralino with bino or singlino as its dominant component is customarily taken as dark matter (DM) candidate. Since light Higgsinos favored by naturalness can strength the couplings of the DM and thus enhance the DM-nucleon scattering rate, the tension between naturalness and DM direct detection results becomes more and more acute with the improved experimental sensitivity. In this work, we extend the NMSSM by inverse seesaw mechanism to generate neutrino mass, and show that in certain parameter space the lightest sneutrino may act as a viable DM candidate, i.e. it can annihilate by multi-channels to get correct relic density and meanwhile satisfy all experimental constraints. The most striking feature of the extension is that the DM-nucleon scattering rate can be naturally below its current experimental bounds regardless of the higgsino mass, and hence it alleviates the tension between naturalness and DM experiments. Other interesting features include that the Higgs phenomenology becomes much richer than that of the original NMSSM due to the relaxed constraints from DM physics and also due to the presence of extra neutrinos, and that the signatures of sparticles at colliders are quite different from those with neutralino as DM candidate.National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC) [11575053]SCI(E)ARTICLE1
Classical mechanics and quantum mechanics
No full textThe Newton equation of motion is derived from quantum mechanics.Physics, MultidisciplinarySCI(E)中国科学引文数据库(CSCD)2ARTICLE5685-6884
Consolidation of Dynamic Motor Learning Is Not Disrupted by rTMS of Primary Motor Cortex
No full textMotor skills, once learned, are often retained over a long period of time. However, such learning first undergoes a period of consolidation after practice. During this time, the motor memory is susceptible to being disrupted by the performance of another motor-learning task [1, 2]. Recently, it was shown that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the primary motor cortex could disrupt the retention of a newly learned ballistic task in which subjects had to oppose their index finger and thumb as rapidly as possible [3]. Here we investigate whether the motor cortex is similarly involved during the consolidation that follows learning novel dynamics. We applied rTMS to primary motor cortex shortly after subjects had either learned to compensate for a dynamic force field applied to their index finger or learned a ballistic finger abduction task. rTMS severely degraded the retention of the learning for the ballistic task but had no effect on retention of the dynamic force-field learning. This suggests that, unlike learning of simple ballistic skills, learning of dynamics may be stored in a more distributed manner, possibly outside the primary motor cortex
Policy-driven Data Sharing over Attribute-Based Encryption supporting Dual Membership
No full textAttribute-Based Encryption (ABE) plays an important role in current secure data sharing through fine-grained customizable policies. However, the existing ABE schemes only support simple predicates, = and ≠, but cannot express a more general membership predicates, ∈ and ∉, in policies. The low expressivity of ABE will enlarge the ciphertext storage and reduce the communication efficiency. To overcome this problem, we propose an ABE supporting Dual Membership (DM-ABE). The core problem for implementing this scheme is how to use cryptographic methods to decide the membership between the verified element and the given set. In order to solve this problem, we design a cryptographic algorithm, called Secure Decision of Membership (SDM), based on aggregation functions. In this algorithm, any set can be aggregated into one cryptographic element, and the verified element and the given set can be converted into another cryptographic element in decision process. The membership between them can be decided by the above two cryptographic elements. Furthermore, we construct the DM-ABE by using SDM. Because of the good expressivity of our DM-ABE, we further propose a novel cryptographic data sharing framework by integrating DM-ABE and attribute-based access control to provide fine-grained access control and security protection for private data. In the security proof of DM-ABE, we prove that the DM-ABE satisfies the semantic security against chosen-plaintext attacks under the DBDHE assumption in the standard model through a unified way, considering both two encryption methods for ∈ and ∉ at the same time. Finally, we analyze our scheme in terms of time and space complexity, and compare it with some existing schemes. The results show that our DM-ABE has a better expressive ability on the boolean logic of general membership predicates, ∈ and ∉.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Cyber Securit
Constraining the Inner Galactic DM Density Profile with H.E.S.S.
No full text© 2024 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).In this short review, corresponding to a talk given at the conference “Cosmology 2023 in Miramare”, we combine an analysis of five regions observed by H.E.S.S. in the Galactic Center, intending to constrain the Dark Matter (DM) density profile in a WIMP annihilation scenario. For the analysis, we include the state-of-the-art Galactic diffuse emission Gamma-optimized model computed with DRAGON and a wide range of DM density profiles from cored to cuspy profiles, including different kinds of DM spikes. Our results are able to constrain generalized NFW profiles with an inner slope ≳1.3 . When considering DM spikes, the adiabatic spike is completely ruled out. However, smoother spikes given by the interactions with the bulge stars are compatible if ≲0.8 , with an internal slope of sp-stars=1.5.This work has been supported by the grants PID2021-125331NB-I00, PID2022-139841NB-I00, and CEX2020-001007-S, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, by “ERDF A way of making Europe”, and the MULTIDARK Project RED2022-134411-T. The author’s contribution to this work has been supported by the FPI Severo Ochoa PRE2021-099137 grant.With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2020-001007-S).Peer reviewe
Diabetes mellitus (DM) related lower extremity amputations (LEA) rate and risk factors.
No full textAuthor: Ieva Vasiliūtė Title: Diabetes mellitus (DM) related lower extremity amputations (LEA) rate and risk factors. Aim: To investigate LEA rate and risk factors in patients with DM. Objectives: To evaluate DM related LEA rate. To determine DM related LEAs levels and patients demographic factors relation. To determine DM related LEAs levels and type of DM relation. To determine DM related LEAs levels and DM duration, body mass index (BMI), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) meanings relation. To evaluate expected mathematically based risk factors. Methods: Retrospective medical records study of 153 patients with DM, who underwent LEAs at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas clinics was performed during the 2012 01 01 – 2014 12 31 period. Statistical analysis was performed using the standard SPSS 20.0 program. Results: 33,33% of legs amputations occured among people with DM and 66,67% of them were male (p<0,001). Major LEAs were performed mostly in patients with type 2 DM (86,96%) than those with type 1 DM (p<0,001). Male patients LEAs were performed in patients suffering for shorter duration of DM than in women (19,18 m. (±95% PI 16,71-21,65) vs. 23,36 m. (±95% PI 20,07-26,65), p=0,053). Patients with type 2 DM underwent LEAs had DM for shorter durations (16,19 m. (±95% PI 14,32-18,06)) than those with type 1 DM patients (31,43 m. (±95% PI 28,40-34,45)) ( p<0,001). Major LEAs remove patients had BMI (32,86±5,55 kg/m2) than minor LEAs remove patients (29,13±5,91 kg/m2) (p=0,027). No significant relation was found with amputation level and HbA1c average (p=0,246). DM related eye damage increases the risk of minor LEAs 3,10 times (p=0,001). Obesity/overweight the risk of major LEAs increases 5,65 times (p=0,036) and 2,56 times with obliterate atherosclerosis (p=0,006). Patients with type 2 DM have a 3,2 times (p=0,002) higher risk of undergoing major LEA. Conclusions: A third of patients who had undergone LEAs had DM. Amputations were carried out more frequently in men. DKA arose more often in patients with type 2 DM. LEAs were performed a shorter duration male DM patients. Type 2 DM patients suffered LEAs nearly 2 times shorter duration. Major LEAs experienced patients had a higher BMI. The average of HbA1c is not significantly related with amputation levels. DM related eye damage increases the minor LEAs risk by 3,10 times. Obesity/being overweight increases the risk of major LEAs 5,65 times, obliterate atherosclerosis - 2,56 times. Patients with type 2 DM have a 3,2 times higher risk of major LEA
Approaches for Dialog Management in Conversational Agents
No full textDialog agents, like digital assistants and automated chat interfaces (e.g., chatbots), are becoming more and more popular as users adapt to conversing with their devices as they do with humans. In this paper, we present approaches and available tools for dialog management (DM), a component of dialog agents that handles dialog context and decides the next action for the agent to take. In this paper, we establish an overview of the field of DM, compare approaches and state-of-the-art tools in industry and research work on a set of dimensions, and identify directions for further research work.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Web Information SystemsHuman-Centred Artificial Intelligenc
Curcumin ameliorates skeletal muscle atrophy in type 1 diabetic mice by inhibiting protein ubiquitination
No full textNew Findings: "What is the central question of this study?: We sought to examine whether curcumin could ameliorate skeletal muscle atrophy in diabetic mice by inhibiting protein ubiquitination, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. What is the main finding and its importance?: We found that curcumin ameliorated skeletal muscle atrophy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice by inhibiting protein ubiquitination without affecting protein synthesis. This favourable effect of curcumin was possibly due to the inhibition of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. Curcumin may be beneficial for the treatment of muscle atrophy in type 1 diabetes mellitus."Skeletal muscle atrophy develops in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), especially in type 1 DM, which is associated with chronic inflammation. Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric, has various biological actions, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We hypothesized that curcumin could ameliorate skeletal muscle atrophy in mice with streptozotocin-induced type 1 DM. C57BL/6 J mice were injected with streptozotocin (200 mg kg^-1 i.p.; DM group) or vehicle (control group). Each group of mice was randomly subdivided into two groups of 10 mice each and fed a diet with or without curcumin (1500 mg kg^-1 day^-1) for 2 weeks. There were significant decreases in body weight, skeletal muscle weight and cellular cross-sectional area of the skeletal muscle in DM mice compared with control mice, and these changes were significantly attenuated in DM+Curcumin mice without affecting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. Ubiquitination of protein was increased in skeletal muscle from DM mice and decreased in DM+Curcumin mice. Gene expressions of muscle-specific ubiquitin E3 ligase atrogin-1/MAFbx and MuRF1 were increased in DM and inhibited in DM+Curcumin mice. Moreover, nuclear factor-κB activation, concentrations of the inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β and oxidative stress were increased in the skeletal muscle from DM mice and inhibited in DM+Curcumin mice. Curcumin ameliorated skeletal muscle atrophy in DM mice by inhibiting protein ubiquitination, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. Curcumin may be beneficial for the treatment of muscle atrophy in type 1 DM.There has been a change to the Author listing and Acknowledgements from the Accepted Article version. Tadashi Suga, Mochamad A Sobirin, Kagami Hirabayashi, Masashige Takahashi, Arata Fukushima, Tsuneaki Homma, Takashi Yokota, Shouji Matsushima were erroneously listed as authors and are now all listed in the acknowledgments with their full agreement
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